Toy theater stage



Jan. 30, 1945. L. WISE TOY THEATRE STAGE Filed Dec. 15, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. Lawrence Wzse ATTORNEY Jan. 30, 1945. WISE 2,368,188

TOY THEATRE STAGE Filed Dec. 15. 1942 3. Sheets-Sheet 2 135- I34 ll" Fig. 3

INVENTOR.

Lawrence Wise Jan. 30,1945. 1 155 TOY THEATRE STAGE Filed Dec. 15, 1942 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Fig. 7

INVENTOR.

Lawrence Wzse BY b a ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 30, 1945 TOY THEATER STAGE Lawrence Wise, Bronx, N. Y., assignor to Playette Corporation, New York, N. Y.,' a corporation of New York Application-December 15, 1942, Serial No. 469,043

3 Claims.

My present invention relates to a play theater or toy which is realistically constructed, which may be shipped flat and Whichmay readily be erected even by a child, and which, when in erected position may easily be operated by an unskilled user.

In toys, particularly those which are generally regarded as educational or self-help toys, it is of the utmost importance that the construction be such that it may readily be operated'by a child, with or without the assistance of an adult.

The difficulty with puppet theaters and the like which have previously been known, is that the manipulation of the figures or the changing of the scene from one scene to the next requires a complexity of movements and skill of such high quality to be beyond the ability of the ordinary child for whom the toy is intended.

Where an attempt has previously been made to arrive at simplicity, the net result. was the production of an immobile or static toy, wherein a group of figures or dolls were each moved about at the whim of the child.

A primary object of the present invention is the formation of a play theater so constructed and arranged that various prepared stories or scenes may be enacted in predetermined sequential order, solely by operations performed by the child; and wherein a simple movement of a handle by the child will result in a complete change of the scene which is presented in the play theater.

At the same time, and in order to create an economical structure which may be manufactured by mass production methods from paper, cardboard or other fibrous material, the theater is made in collapsible form, and the sequential arrangement of the scenes for any particular story is presented in a bound form.

The theater member is also provided with means for supporting the bound book containin the sequential scenes, and with means which are readily operated by the child for successively presenting scenes or pages from the bound book to view on the theater stage.

Accordingly, a further object of my invention, is the provision of a play theater so arranged as to receive and hold a bound book, the pages of which may be successively presented to view on the stage of the play theater.

Another object of my invention is thearrangement of the bound book element of the play theater 50 that a simple manual movement of a lever from one side to another will be .suflicient to present successive pages.

Still another object of my invention is the arrangement of the bound book containingjsequentially arranged scenes :in such manner that two stories or two sets of scenes may be presented on opposite sides. of the pages or the book.

The :manner by which all of these-objects are accomplished and many other objectsaof the pres ent invention will inpart be apparent, andwhere not apparent, pointed out, in the folowing description and drawings in-whichz Figure '1 is a-view'in perspective of=my play theater with a bookarranged therein tobepresented to view.

Figure 2 is a cross-sectionalview taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1 looking inthe direction of the arrows;

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional viewtaken'on line 3-3 of Figure -1 looking'in the-direction of the arrows showing the arrangement of the theater and. its contents with the top of the: theater closed.

Figure 4 is a plan view ofthe bound-book-containingthe sequential arrangements of scenes the developed blank Ill from which most of. the

theater structure is formed. This blank comprises a back wall section I I, aside wall section I2, a front wall section I3, another side wall sec tion. I4, a bottom wall section 15,- and top wall section I6, I! and I8.

These wall sections are hingedlyconnectedtm gether along the bend lines-20; 2|, 22,.23,- 24, 25 and 26.

The top wall sections I6, IT and "I81 are'separated from each other by;the'cutsa28-andf29 in order that sections I6 and .,I8,. may, when the play theater is permanently set up; be zpermanently in position while the section I! may from timeto time be liftedin order to-insert a new book in the manner hereinafter-described;

Referring again to Figure 5, the right hand side of the-back wall section :I Iis'provided with adhesive and, when the sections II, I2, I3 and I4 are foldedup into a tubular quadrilateral structure, the tab 35 is secured to the left-hand end of the section I4 in order to complete thetube. It will here be obvious that after the tube is thus formed it may nevertheless be collapsed owing to the fact that a bend line 36 is provided between the tab 35 and the back wall section I I and owing to the fact that the other walls may bend about the fold lines 20, 2I, and 22.

Consequently, in the collapsed position of the manufactured tube, the width of the tube is equal to that of the width of one side wall plus one front or back wall.

When it is desired to set up the play theater, then the tube formed by sections II, I2 and I3 and I4 is opened up into quadrilateral formation,

and the top and bottom tabs 31, 38, 39, 40, M and 42 of the respective walls I4, I3 and I2 are bent over at right angles to their walls along the respective fold lines 44, 45, 46, 41, 48 and 49.

The top wall section I6 is then bent downwardly around the fold line 24 so that the side edge 50 thereof overlies the top tab 39 and the front edge 51 thereof overlies one end of the top tab 38.

The tongues 53 and 54 now register respectively with the slots 55 and 56 and may be inserted therein in the manner shown in Figures 1 and 2 in order to hold the top wall section I6 in place.

Similarly, the top wall section I8 is bent down so that the edge 60 thereof overlies the top tab 31 and the edge 6I thereof overlies the left-hand end of the top front tab 38. The tongues 62 and 63 may then readily be inserted in slots 64 and I55. The bottom wall section I5 is then folded up so that the edge I thereof underlies the tab 42, the edge II thereof underlies the tab 4|, and the edge I2 thereof underlies the tab 40. Tongues I3, I4, I and I6 may then be inserted in the slots I8, I9 and 80 to secure the bottom wall I5 in place.

Tongues I3, I4, I5 and I6 are shown as bayonet type members, the ends of which may be wider than the respective slots into which they are to enter, so that they may be sprung into the slots and held therein. This is necessary in the case of the bottom wall to prevent the same from falling out, although it is not absolutely essential where the play theater is to rest on a solid base and is not frequently to be moved.

Similar formations may be used for the tabs 53, 54, 63 and 62 should that be deemed desirable.

When the blank of Figure 5 has been assembled in the manner previously described, it then assumes the form shown in Figure 1. However, it is desirable that a back-drop be provided for the stage of the play theater; and that a floor also be provided therefor.

In order to insert the back-drop and the floor member, the flaps I8 and I8 as well as the flap I! are first lifted. The back-drop member is shown in Figure 6 and comprises a back wall section 80, two rear side sections BI and 82 and two front side sections 83 and 84, each separated from each other by the hinge lines 85, 86, 81 and 88. Side spacing tabs 89 and 90 may also be provided also separated from their respective walls 83 and 84 by the fold lines 92 and 93.

With the play theater now in the form shown in Figure 1, the flaps I6, I1, and I8 are lifted and the stage floor member I00 of Figure 7 is inserted in place. For this purpose, the tabs IOI I02 and I03 are bent downwardly around the fold lines I04, I05 and I05. and I03 may be cut out so that they will not The tabs IDI, I02

interfere with the tongues 73, I4, I5 and I6 of the bottom wall.

Since the floor I00 of the stage is substantially equal in its cross-section to the cr0ss-section of the box when it is set up, the flaps I0l, I02 and I03 form legs which support the floor of the stage. These legs bear against the bottom wall I5 when the door of the stage is inserted. The floor of the stage may be inserted as has previously been described through the top of the theater and is supported when in place in the manner shown in Figure l.

The back-drop member is then folded up into the form indicated in Figure l, and slid down into place. Tabs H0 and III are provided which register with the slots H2 and H3 in the stage floor I00 to hold the back drop in place. The short tabs and 89 of the back-drop serve to space the sides thereof from the side walls in an appropriate manner. The top wall flaps I6 and I8 are then closed.

As will be obvious, the front Wall I3 is provided with an opening I20 through which a small portion I2I of the floor of the stage projects in order to give a finished appearance to the play theater. The opening I20 has a suitable shape in order to correspond to the appearance of a theater.

In order to complete the full assembly, the top flaps I0, I1 and I6 are raised, and the handle supporting flap I30 is folded into position.

As shown in Figures 1, 5 and 8, the handle supporting flap comprises a flexible strip I30 having a portion I3I permanently secured to the upper portion of the front wall above the opening I20 and separated by a hinged line I32 from a section I33 to which is pivotally secured in any suitable manner as by the .pin I34, a handle I35.

As seen in Figure 1, one end of the handle I35, projects outwardly through the slot I36 in the top of the front wall I3.

During collapsed position, the strip I30 is folded flat against the inside surface of the front wall I3 and owing to the flexibility of the material from which the front wall I3 is made, and also owing to the thin construction of the handle I35, the handle may also assume a position substantially parallel to the front wall I3 with one end of the handle projecting through the slot I36 and the other end of the handle projecting on the opposite side thereof.

When the stage is arranged in quadrilateral form, with the stage floor and the back drop in position, then the strip I33 is folded down around the hinge line I32 and the end I40 thereof is folded down once more into the slots I42, I42 at the forward end of the backdrop as shown in Figures 2 and 6. The handle is now supported in horizontal position with one end projecting outside of the slots I36 in the manner shown in Figure 3 and one end projecting on the inside. This handle may now be used to operate the pages of the book to bring them into view in sequential order.

After the play theater is fully assembled as above pointed out, the side members of the top wall I6 and I8 are always left in position while the central member I! may be raised or lowered about the hinge line 25. This central member IT as may be seen from Figure 5 is slightly longer than the other members I5 and It so that it may project slightly beyond the front wall in order that it may readily be grasped and lifted.

A book which contains the story arranged sequentially in picture form is shown in Figure 4. This book I50 consists of a plurality of pages I5I bound together in any suitable manner, as for instance, by the spiral binding I52 and secured by said spiral binding to the flap I53,

As seen in Figure 3, the flap I53 may, when the center top member I! of the top Wall is lifted, be inserted in the slot I54 in the back wall, thus supporting the back end of the book; while the front of the book is then supported on the inner end of the handle member I35. The top member Il may now be dropped back into place while the book is thus supported at both the front and back walls. The inner end I35 of the handle member is arranged so that it is slightly smaller than the successive notches I59 and I60 in the successive pages I 5i of the book I 50.

As may readily be seen, notch I59 extends in one direction, while notch I60 in the page immediately below extends in the opposite direction. The notch in the third page will coincide with the notch in the first page while the notch in the fourth page will coincide with the notch in the second page, and so on.

When the book is inserted in position, the handle preferably should extend straight into the stage theater, perpendicular to the front wall, In this case, it will register with none of the notches, and thus will not permit any of the pages to fall.

When the handle I35 is now rotated about its pin I34 so that the inner end thereof registers with notch I59, the first page will fall and come i into view in the manner shown in Figures 1 and 3. The remaining pages of the book will be supported.

When the handle I35 is now turned so that its inner end registers with the notch I60, the sec ond page will fall into view, while the remaining pages will be supported. Thus by successive movements of the handle I35 from one side to the other, successive pages will be brought into view.

As shown in Figure 6, the back Wall 80 of the back-drop is out out at I in order to provide access to the slot I 54.

In appropriate constructions, it will be obvious that the tab l53 of the book may be slipped behind the back wall 89 over the top edge III, and between the back wall 80 of the back -drop and the back wall II since this forms the full equivalent of the slot I54.

After the play theater has been set up in the manner previously described, the child may raise the fiap ll, take up a book I50, insert the flap I53 thereof in the back slot I54, and rest the front thereof on the handle i35 and then close the top flap I I. His mother may then start to read a story to him from a prepared text which is illustrated by the book, and after describing an incident or a scene, may indicate to the child by a signal, such as by the word curtain that the handle is to be moved; whereupon the child operates the handle in the manner previously described to one side or the other to cause a page to drop. The page which drops will then have a scene on it depicting the incident described. As the mother or instructor reads further on in the text describing another scene or incident, at the conclusion thereof or during the scene, the reader will again indicate by a signal such as the word curtain, that the handle is to be operated; whereupon the child on operating the handle will bring the next page or scene into View,

When all the pages of the book are thus exhausted, the book may be taken out and turned over and the reverse sides of the 'pages successively brought into view. I

Preferably, in the construction of the device, the diagonal distance from the slot I54 to the foldlines B5 and 88 of the back drop will be about equal to the length of a page, so that the page will fall into view in the manner shown in Figures 1 and 3.

By this means, a simply operated, easily set uppeducational toy may be provided by the use of which the child may cooperate in the telling and depicting of a story or in the presentation of other entertaining or informative material.

In the foregoing, I have described my invention in connection only with a specific embodiment thereof. Many variations in theconstruction and operation of the various devices herein disclosed, within the spirit of my invention, should now be obvious to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, I prefer to be bound not by the specific disclosures herein but only by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A play theater stage comprising a back wall, side walls and a bottom wall; a front wall having an opening therein defining the front of the stage, a horizontal stage floor supported in said opening parallel to said bottom wall; flanges depending from said stage floor in surface to surface relation with said side walls and said back wall; the ends of said flanges resting on said bottom wall; and means for supporting the bound end of a book on the back wall of said play theater, and additional means on the front wall section above the opening thereof for releasably supporting the free ends of the leaves of said book; said first mentioned means comprising a slot in the back wall of the play theater, and a tongue member hingedly secured to the bound end of the book and insertable in said slot,

2. A collapsible play theater comprising a front wall member, an opening in said front wall defining the front of a stage; a slot in said front wall centrally located above said opening, apivoted bar having one end extending through said slot on the outside of said front wall, and an end extending on the inside of said front wall; means for supporting said bar in said front wall, said means comprising a longitudinal member of sheet material having One section secured to said front wall above said slot and extending along the top of said front wall; said longitudinal member having a second section foldable substantially perpendicular to said first section, a pivot carried by said second section for pivotally supporting said bar; said longitudinal member having a third section foldable substantially perpendicular to said second section and engageable with a portion of the interior of said play theater to maintain said longitudinal member substantially in a channel shaped form.

3. A collapsible play theater comprising a front wall member, an opening in said front wall defining the front of a stage; a slot in said front wall centrally located above said opening, a pivoted bar having one end extendingthrough said wall on the outside of said front wall, and an end extending on the inside of said front wall; means for supporting said bar in said front wall, said means comprising a longitudinal member of sheet material having one section secured to said front wall above said opening and extending along the top of said front Wall; said longitudinal member having a second section foldable substantially perpendicular to said first section, a pivot carried by said second section for pivotally supporting said bar; said longitudinal member dinal member are folded into a plane parallel to that of the front wall; the manually graspable portion of said handle member may, nevertheless,

' extend through said slot parallel and adjacent to the outside of said front wall, and the interior of said portion of said handle may extend parallel to and adjacent the interior of the front wall. LAWRENCE WISE. 

